July 31, 2009

My column in the Globe today is about the new Small Theatre Alliance of Boston - better known as S.T.A.B. - and how it has taken over running the edgy FeverFest. But really, as a devout Red Sox fan, I'm just so, so happy to have a story in the edition with this front page. It's great, isn't it? Say it ain't so, Papi.

May 28, 2009

I won't really worry until I see a TV ad with James Levine riding the Alpine Super Slide, locks a-flutter in the Berkshire breeze. But still, it seems like one more sign of the economic times that Tanglewood, the Boston Symphony Orchestra's summer temple of classical music, is offering a discount deal in cooperation with Jiminy Peak ski area Mountain Resort in Hancock. With a Tanglewood ticket stub, you'll $5 off summer fun at Jiminy Peak’s Mountain Adventure Park. You also get a third night free when booking two nights at Jiminy Peak - "and a free Tanglewood
gift upon check-in." At Tanglewood, patrons will receive 15% off tickets to most concerts with proof of stay at the Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort Hotel. Blackout dates include Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor (June 27), Diana Krall (July 4), Tony Bennett (July 21), James Taylor (August 26-30), and the Tanglewood Jazz Festival (September 4-6).

April 06, 2009

UPDATE: I just learned - via Twitter, of course - that the game has just been postponed till tomorrow due to "the near certainty of heavy rain." Thanks @GlobeSox for the info!

The folks at Symphony Hall are trying to get with the new-technology program. In addition to their recent enthusiasm for downloading, Keith Lockhart is twittering at @KeithLockhart. No, really. Although ghost-twittering for celebs is now a popular career path, the erratic schedule and slightly hestitant, newbie tone makes me think it's really him. The first tweet on my screen when I sat down a little while ago was "KeithLockhart will be joining Loren and Wally on WROR in the next half hour or so." He's apparently making the radio rounds before the Sox play their opener today; the Pops will be at Fenway to perform tracks from their new "Red Sox Album." The disc includes a cover of the Dropkick Murphys' "Shipping Up To Boston," which ought to set Jonathan Papelbon jigging, although i'm not holding my breath for any mosh pit action at the Hall. You can pay $12.99 for the CD, or download it for $7.99 or $8.99, depending on format.

Over the weekend Lockhart tweeted that he was "Brainstorming the Apollo 11 concert. Searching for songs about the moon." I almost sent him an @reply with a link to "Moon over Marin" by the Dead Kennedys, but my BAC wasn't quite high enough. If he'd followed me back, I would have DM'd him, but as much as he says he's "joining the Twitter revolution," this looks like mostly a downstream gig for him. He has 82 followers, but he is only following a couple of radio stations, artsboston, wefollow.com, plus Terry Francona and Amanda Palmer.

Given the BSO organization's (careful) embrace of technology, I wasn't surprised to see Lockhart tweeting. I was more surprised to find Francona at it, and if that's really you, Tito, kudos for an hilarious profile pic (above right); it looks like his kids chose it, while Lockhart's (left) is a serious, PR-appropriate number. This morning Francona tweets: "Weather forecast isn't looking great, but unless or until I'm told otherwise, I'm preparing for a game today." It will be interesting to see if he tweets during a rain delay, although I don't expect him to pull a Charlie Villanueva between innings. (Although that would surprise me less than Lockhart tweeting between movements.) Already the skies are greying, and the weather forecast suggests they won't even get the game in today. I'm waiting to see if Lockhart tweets about the fun of setting up an orchestra in the rain.

The larger question, though, is what all this celebrity tweeting does for Twitter's popularity, and whether the company that brought us the Fail Whale could soon jump the shark.